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If you drop just one soda can out the window, it’s no big deal ... right? But what if everybody did that? What if everybody broke the rules ... and spoke during story time, didn’t wash up, or splashed too much at the pool? Then the world would be a mess. But what if everybody obeyed the rules so that the world would become a better place? Using humorous illustrations rendered in mixed media, these questions are answered in a child-friendly way and show the consequences of thoughtless behavior.

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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2—An unnamed boy is forced to consider the consequences of his actions in this cautionary tale about making responsible choices. The narrator commits a series of seemingly minor offenses, such as feeding popcorn to the bears in the zoo, throwing an empty soda can out the car window, sneaking a lick of frosting from a wedding cake, and interrupting the librarian during storytime. Each time, an angry adult admonishes him by asking, "What if everybody did that?" causing him to envision the possible outcomes: sick animals, garbage strewn along the highway, a ruined cake, and chaos at the library. Each spread depicts a different episode. The art on the verso shows the boy committing a thoughtless act, and the recto pictures show what could happen if everyone broke the rules. Madden's experience as a greeting-card illustrator is evident in the variety of expressions shown on the faces of the multicultural cast in the colorful mixed-media drawings. This title could be a useful purchase for libraries looking to add to their collections of character-building books.—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

As I read the story I felt parents and teachers could use this book for teaching. The errors he makes throughout the story could be discussed and the ending...well it speaks for itself. Nice story for the Valentine's Day reading. Not pink and red but the objective is love!

Cute book about how our actions, while seemingly not a big deal, can become a big deal if everyone did! Although my husband disagrees with some of the "examples" shown in the book, it's overall a great lesson in morals and behavior for kids. My favorite part is the end (SPOILER ALERT!) which says that everyone should hug their moms! I always get a huge from my toddler on that one!

This has been a great book to read to the kids at my elementary school. It's a good lesson in responsibility, respect, and how our actions affect others. It's fun and engaging, but purposeful and intentional.